Mimicry eases prediction and thereby smoothens social interactions

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Neuroscience
• Behavioral Ecology

Background:

• The "social contextual view" posits emotional mimicry as a social regulator tied to affiliative goals.
• This perspective emphasizes mimicry's role in social interaction and bonding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge the view of emotional mimicry as exclusively a social regulator.
• To propose that mimicry's primary function is to enhance behavioral prediction for the individual.
• To argue for a broader, more adaptive understanding of mimicry.

Main Methods:

• Commentary and theoretical argument.
• Synthesis of existing empirical evidence.
• Proposal of a comparative, multi-method, and ecologically valid research approach.

Main Results:

• Mimicry of all emotional expressions (positive, negative, ambiguous, autonomic) likely serves a common core function.
• Empirical evidence suggests mimicry is not always a social act.
• Mimicry offers primary benefits to the individual mimicker, beyond social facilitation.

Conclusions:

• Emotional mimicry's core function is to facilitate prediction of conspecifics and the environment.
• This predictive function can indirectly smooth social interactions but is not its sole purpose.
• A comprehensive understanding requires considering individual benefits and employing diverse research methodologies.